Because of this the World Heritage Committee has asked Thailand to re-submit an amended application next year, according to an official from the Burmese branch of the World Heritage Site Committee.

He said: “The World Heritage Committee accepted Burma’s objection. It has agreed to negotiate with Thailand and carry out necessary amendments next year.”

The decision was made at a UNESCO extraordinary meeting held in Paris from 24 to 26 October.

U Myo Min, the director of the Burmese Department of Forestry under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation said: “Border demarcation between Thailand and Burma is not complete yet. There has been no bilateral negotiation. Thailand tried to submit [its application] to UNESCO even though the border hasn’t been demarcated yet. UNESCO didn’t accept it. They [UNESCO] will wait until the border has been demarcated.”

The Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex consists of over 10,000 hectares of forest in the southern Thai provinces of Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi and Prachuab Kirikhan. It runs along the border with Tenasserim (Tanintharyi) Region in Burma and also borders the Lay Nyar Forest Reserve in Tenasserim.

Thailand has been applying to have the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex included on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2011.

Ethnic Karen groups live within the boundaries of the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex as it has been submitted to UNESCO and the World Heritage Committee has instructed Thailand to draft and submit detailed management plans for the Karen people living within the proposed forest complex area.

The World heritage Committee has also urged Thailand and Burma to hold territorial negotiations to properly delineate the border between the two countries.

Thailand and Burma share over 1,300 miles of border, but it is not clearly demarcated on the ground because no border mileposts have yet been erected.

Reporting by Nai Linn Tun for M.N.A
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI